Post Edited By Moderator (~Jennifer~) : 2/8/2006 2:47:35 PM (GMT-7)
How frightening this must be. Please hand in there and don't give up hope. You have found the right place for support and information. You are not alone and we all care about you. Others will be able to give you more advice regarding hepatitis C but I wanted to welcome you.
Hugs and prayers,
Barbara
"There is at least one good thing in each and every day we just have to find it and if we look hard enough we will.Somedays we just have to look a little harder than others,but its alway's there."lerie
"There is at least one good thing in each and every day we just have to find it and if we look hard enough we will.Somedays we just have to look a little harder than others,but its alway's there."lerie
KMD, the ultrasound is painless. It is ordered to get a better look at the liver, watching for signs of cirrhosis or tumors. They will use a sensor and a type of jelly (it's cold!), and will run the sensor over your entire abdomen, focusing on the right side under the ribs, where the right lobe of the liver is. You will be asked to take a breath and hold it a number of times. You will probably also be asked to turn on your left side, and perhaps your right. There is a monitor the technician looks at as she's doing the test. It takes about 35-45 min. You will then be asked to wait while they make sure they got all the pictures they need. If so, you can go home. Your doctor will give you the results of the ultrasound. Try calling your doc on Mon. for results.
How did you happen to get diagnosed with hep C? Were you having fatigue? It normally takes many years before symptoms even appear, except for flu-like symptoms when you first contract it (which I don't remember having.) For example, in my case, I contracted my hep C through IV drugs I used for a short period of time in the late 60s (sharing needles.) I didn't have symptoms for nearly 30 years. I was also positive for hep B, but I have the antibody...which means I cannot get it again nor can I give it to anybody else. My immune system knocked out the hep B.
There is almost no chance of getting hep C via sexual intercourse. In fact, I have personally never heard of anyone getting it this way, although I have read that it is a possibility, as well as using the toothbrush of someone with hep C. I would think the only way that would happen is if both parties had open sores in their mouths and shared a toothbrush. Hep C is a blood-borne disease, and is usually contracted through a transfusion or IV drug use with shared needles.
Post Edited (hep93) : 2/8/2006 4:35:08 PM (GMT-7)
"There is at least one good thing in each and every day we just have to find it and if we look hard enough we will.Somedays we just have to look a little harder than others,but its alway's there."lerie
"There is at least one good thing in each and every day we just have to find it and if we look hard enough we will.Somedays we just have to look a little harder than others,but its alway's there."lerie